Getting Around Mauritius

Getting to Mauritius is not a problem. The island is easily accessible by air. Most of the flights come from France. Air France has six direct flights to Mauritius from France. The same is true with Air Mauritius. These two major carriers also travel to Mauritius from different departure areas such as London, La Réunion, Seychelles, Frankfurt, Geneva, Munich, Zurich, Rome, Perth, Hongkong and Singapore. British Airways flies to Mauritius from London or Seychelles; Condor departs from Frankfurt, Munich or Seychelles; Singapore Airlines departs from either Singapore or Johannesburg; and Air Emirates flies directly from Dubai. Getting to Mauritius by the sea is unusual, although some may arrive on private yachts. Perhaps the most reliable way of entering Mauritius by the sea is through MV Mauritius Pride which sails between Mauritius and La Réunion several times a month.

Getting around Mauritius is even easier. From the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, located in Plaine Magnien, you can take a bus towards Port Louis, the island’s capital – roughly a two-hour trip. Although there are no airport buses, there are buses traveling from Mahébourg that pass through the airport. Buses are almost everywhere on the island and they pass through a certain location at regular schedules. Mauritians actually rely on buses to get to work so they are usually full early morning and late afternoon. The buses are not air-conditioned but they are quite comfortable and are the cheapest means of transportation. No bus covers the entire island so you might have to transfer buses when traveling across distant locations. Buses quit early in the evening, around 7 to 8, so it’s best not to stay out too late if you intend to take the bus.

If you plenty of luggage from the airport, you can always take the taxi, which are readily accessible. Although you can get to your destination a lot faster than taking a bus, you have to haggle with taxi drivers for the fare. This is especially true of tourists as drivers may tend to overprice with them. You can ask locals for reasonable fares to avoid getting ripped off. Taxis also tend to get more expensive at night, especially after the buses have stopped going.

If you wish to get around Mauritius at your own pace, then you can always rent a car. Just remember, Mauritians drive at the left hand side of the road although they may have to drive towards the middle of the road to avoid pedestrians and animals. Traffic rules are rarely followed and headlights are uncommon. The roads range from smoothly-paved to potholed. If you still think that you can make it, car rentals are available at the airport, in hotels or in tourist areas. You can rent a car for as low as US$40 per day. You can choose from a variety of car types, from sub-compacts to luxury sedans. The driver should be at least 21 years old and should be a holder of a driver’s license for at least a year.

Another alternative in getting around the island are motorbikes and bicycles. These are available for rent especially around Grand Baie. Of course, you only use these kinds of transportation if you do not intend to travel over long distances.